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Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Grizzly Bear Cubs

Grizzly cubs are unpredictable. At one moment they look at you with their intrigued eyes, and suddenly run away scared by unknown behavior. These two seven-Month-old cubs thought that holding hands would make the danger disappear.

Two UK airports - one a busy inner-city hub, the other featuring a beach runway - are among the world's top 10 most stunning aerial approaches in a list published today.

London City Airport provides 'a highly scenic approach over world-famous London landmarks', according to jet booking company PrivateFly.com which drew up the list.

The other UK entry in the top 10 was Barra airport in Outer Hebrides where planes land on the beach and flight times vary according to the tide.

Princess Juliana Airport in St Maarten, Caribbean makes second place on the list due to its close proximity to the beach, with aircraft skimming over the heads of holidaymakers

Third is St Bart's Airport in the Caribbean, which is described as having a "thrilling" approach with angles, hills, unusual wind conditions and a short runway

IF YOU LOOK OUT OF YOUR WINDOW NOW ....THE TOP TEN

1. Sion, Switzerland

2. Princess Juliana Airport, St Maarten, Caribbean

3. St Barts, Caribbean

4. Gibraltar

5. St Gallen-Altenrhein, Switzerland

6. Funchal, Madeira

7. London City

8. Lukla, Nepal

9. McCarran Airport, Las Vegas, USA

10. Barra, Outer Hebrides, UK

London City was described as providing 'amazing views' of the 02 arena in Greenwich, with the runway described by pilots as 'an aircraft carrier' for being relatively short and surrounded by water.

Although some passengers have described the approach as 'stomach-churning', pilots have said that it gives them a 'fairground-ride like buzz'.

And the route over such other landmarks as Big Ben and Canary Wharf tower has earned the airport its place on the list.

At Barra, meanwhile, 'visitors and cockle-pickers share the use of the beach', with planes landing on the shore and flight times varying according to the tide.

The airport's three runways, which are on Traigh Mhor beach, are marked out with wooden poles in the sand.

'If you arrive in late afternoon on a gloomy day, cars may have their lights on to provide pilots with added visibility, since the airport has no artificial lighting,' said Privatefly.com chief Adam Twidell.

At number four, Gibraltar Airport, whose runway is intersected by a main road which is closed every time a plane takes off or lands

Sixth on the list is Funchal Airport in Madeira, which has a runway bordered by water on one side and hills on the other

Number seven on the list is London City Airport, whose steep approach is described by pilots as offering "a fairground-like buzz"

At number eight is Nepal's Lukla Airport, which has a ten-minute approach down a steep valley, followed by a sharp turn and uphill landing

Gibraltar Airport, which is fourth on the list, rivals Barra when it comes to the quirkiness of its runway.

The approach is bisected by a main road which has to be closed to traffic every time a plane takes off or lands.

The list was topped by Switzerland's Sion Airport, in the heart of the Alps, which offers a spectacular approach over the Rhone Valley.

Las Vegas' McCarran Airport was in ninth place, making the list for its striking contrast of desert and metropolis, as well as the sheer scope and glamour of its setting

In tenth place was the unusual Barra Airport in the Outer Hebrides, where planes land on the beach and drivers may switch on their lights to provide extra visibility

A second Swiss airport, St Altenrhein, was in fifth place.

Twidell, who is an experienced pilot, said most of the airports chosen were ones which could be accessed only by smaller planes.

'In fact, a private jet or propeller aircraft charter brings back the glamour of flying - a reminder that a journey by air can be a life-enhancing experience in itself,' he explained.

Top of the list was Sion Airport in the heart of the Swiss Alps, which provides passengers with a stunning approach through the Rhone Valley

Swiss St Gallen-Altenrhein finished in fifth place, and was praised for its idyllic setting between Lake Constance and the foothills of the Appenzell region

Tim Burton has started a collaborative storytelling project that anyone can contribute to…provided they use only 127 characters and that they are selected. Burton posted the opening to a story about his character Stainboy on Twitter, and starting today, users can post follow-up passages. The best posts will be selected and posted on the twitter feed, culminating in some sort of complete Stainboy short story on December 6th. The adventure begins with mysterious goo…

It seems like Burton could have worked on his syntax a bit more for the opening line of a short story, but you get the idea. Burton first introduced the Stainboy character in a series of Flash animation shorts in 2000.

Thousands of submissions have already appeared on the Burton Story site, but none have been posted to the Twitter account yet. The tweets are split between those responding to Burton’s first post and several probably very stressed-out people who are trying to build a story out of every submission. From what I can tell, that one has something to do with kittens at this point.

Netflix announced this morning changes to its subscription plans for customers that use steaming and disc-based content delivery.

Beginning in January the price of the disc-by-mail delivery and steaming content subscription plan will see an increase of $1 a month to $9.99. In addition to the price increase, Netflix introduces a $7.99 streaming-only subscription option to consumers. Coincidentally, the pricing for the streaming-only subscription is $7.99 - the same price for a monthly subscription to Hulu.

The company said in an announcement this morning that this new option is a direct result of the viewing habits of subscribers. Current subscribers are watching more content via the streaming option than via the disc-by-mail option. In addition, the company expects that streaming content viewing will surpass disc-based consumption by year's end.

Netflix recently announced that it plans to invest more money to license streaming content than to acquire DVDs. The challenge the company faces is that most of the newest entertainment offerings are on disc.

For more information on pricing changes that take effect in January, visit blog.netflix.com". Netflix is available in the United States and Canada via PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, and other internet-connected devices.

Unless you've been living under a rock -- or in line at LudoBites 6.0 -- you may have heard that McDonald's McRib sandwich is back. The story seems to be everywhere: in national magazines, in local newsletters, and there's even a McRib Locator where fans of the sandwich report recent "sightings" of the eagerly anticipated menu item.

Since we're not typically ones to trade our gastropub grass-fed beef for fast food's processed variety, we visited four L.A. area McDonald's and quizzed drive-through employees about what's in the McRib, why it's so popular, and exactly how the boneless meat get its signature "rib" shape.

McDonald's describes its 500-calorie sandwich, which first debuted in 1981 and has made limited-time, seasonal appearances ever since, as perfect for people who "love flavorful pork and tangy barbeque sauce," and "who don't mind getting sticky." Hmmm. According to the "Legends of McRib" video on McDonald's website, McRib lovers of times long past included Cleopatra, Benjamin Franklin, William Shakespeare and Christopher Columbus, who all appear sporting tangy barbeque-stained mouths and clothing. While these faux McRib fans might give the sandwich a more storied history, they're not able to tell us about its ingredients, taste, texture or McRib's mystery meat. Errr, pork.

Christie Bishop

McDonald's McRib Sandwich

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McDonald's employees, on the other hand, are well-versed when it comes to the McRib. On cue, each drive-through employee asked, "Welcome to McDonald's. Would you like to try the McRib?" Why, yes we would. But first, we need to know what's in the sandwich. This is where the employees' united front fell apart.

Answers varied from "Frozen pork patty," to "Deep fried pork," to "Pressed pork." Perhaps the most comprehensive answer was, "A boneless pork patty that's deep-fried and then slathered with tangy barbecue sauce, topped with pickles and onions and served on a warm roll." While (part of) that sounds delicious, not one employee was able to explain how the McRib gets its signature "rib" shape. At store after store they each shrugged their shoulders and said, "I have no idea." One did speculate, however, that "it must be magic."

Despite what's in it or how it's technically made, all of the employees' faces lit up when we asked if they think the McRib tastes good. Unanimously, the employees' proclaimed their love for the sandwich, going in depth on how they like to eat it. One likes extra barbecue sauce for added "tang," another piles it high with crisp french fries, a third forgoes the onions but doubles up on the pickles, and another doesn't mess with the original recipe but makes sure to stockpile extra napkins (we agree, it's saucy). The enthusiasm also extends to the true McRib fanatics, some of whom have lined up to get their McRib fix when the sandwich makes its seasonal debut. In L.A.'s case, it will be around until December 5th.

triggerpit.com— On September 22, 2010, Colonel Douglas H. Wheelock assumed command of the International Space Station. He is also known as Astro_Wheels on twitter, where he has been tweeting pictures to his followers since he arrived at the space station.

Go Discovery! It was October 23, 2007 at 11:40am EST when I had my first ride to space on Discovery. She’s beautiful… just sad that this will be her last voyage. Looking forward to climbing aboard the flight deck when Discovery arrives at the Space Station in November. (9-23-2010)

Now that Find my iPhone is free for users with iOS 4.2, why there is little reason not to sign up. The service allows you to locate your device, send it messages, lock it or totally wipe the memory if it happens to get lost or stolen. It's much like HTC's HTCSense.com service.

There have been quite a few stories in the past of people finding their devices by using Find my iPad or Find my iPhone. Let's have a look at some of those fortunate individuals who have been able to track down their devices and been spared the hassle of having to buy a new handset or iPad:

1) Justice Served

About a year ago 15-year-old Dustin Simantob of Colorado was able to recover he and his father's iPhones using the service. On top of that, the police were able to capture the criminals that did it. Apparently, they had been trying for some time, but until then didn't have enough on them to make an arrest.

“so, my dad and I went on a 3 day father and son river trip and parked the car where we get out of the river to leave, so we get up to the cars and all 4 cars had one window broken and all the valuables taken from the car, so we ended up submitting our case to the near by cop and started on our 5 hour journey home, when we got back i remembered that i had set up the “track my iphone” on the mobileme site and immediately got on and tracked it.

it ended up being at a house near by where it was stolen, so i called up the cop that had taken our case and told him where it was located. as soon as i told him the address, he started to laugh, apparently the family had done a few things like this before and the local police had been trying to catch and arrest them but could never get proof that they had been the culprits.

now they had proof. so 4 police showed up at the door of this house and ended up getting mine and my dads iphones back along with my wallet and the Garmen GPS, they also were able to recover the two phones and wallet that was taken from the other car that was broken into. so thanks to mobileme we will all be getting our belongings back and a family of criminals will be put in jail.”

2) Stop my if you've heard this one: someone loses an iPhone in a bar...

A fellow named Kevin and two of his buddies went to a Lego convention. At the end of the day, they hit up a dive bar to grab a bite to eat. Then it happened, he left his iPhone on the table and had forgotten about it when he left. On his way out, he remembered that he had left the handset on the table and returned to the bar to pick it up. Unfortunately, it was nowhere to be found.

Luckily, he had recently activated his MobileMe account along with Find My iPhone. They began the search, and at first it seemed hopeless. The next day, they were led around town by the tracking service and they eventually found it at a bus stop. One of the bar's employees had found it and said he was planning to return it. Of course that's what he said when caught with it.

This one happened when a Mom was at the store. She placed the phone down while being attending to her kids, and totally forgot about it, leaving the handset on a store counter.

She and her husband decided to track their iPhone using the service. The were able to pinpoint it down to an apartment complex and called the police. They found the culprit and said that if the thief agreed to give up the handset within five minutes, no charges would be pressed. Needless to say, she got her phone back.

Furthermore, the officer said that he had already found five phones in the exact same manner. In fact, he said that Apple works closely with law enforcement to improve the GPS abilities on the device.

In Shadyside, a man was attacked by two robbers. They stole his phone and his wallet, asking for his pin number. After a game of cat and mouse, he and the authorities were able to track the thieves, three men with all the stolen property. They were all charged for the crimes, with the two assailants receiving additional charges for the robbery.

A mom and her daughter were vacationing at a Busch Gardens amusement park. Before boarding one of the roller coasters, they put their belongings in a storage bin meant to safely store items while attendees ride. Unfortunately, someone decided he would run for the woman's purse while no one was watching.

The daughter bumped herself cutting her lip open on the ride. The injury was nothing serious, but in the confusion, someone swooped in and grabbed Mom's purse. The purse was found in the men's restroom, but their phones were gone.

Then, the daughter remembered her MobileMe account. She had the Find My iPhone service activated. Authorities were able to locate the phone, and the culprit and the dirtbag was put in jail.

​One day Gut Check was sitting around the office enjoying an after-hours libation when someone said, "Hey, have you ever heard of a Red-Headed Slut?"

As a matter of fact, we had.

It soon became evident, however, that our colleague was referring to a cocktail. There quickly ensued a lengthy discussion about drinks with really weird names.

Which in turn led to the inevitable Drunken Google Search. The results:

12. The Royal Bitch

Gut Check knows a few people we'd like to buy this drink for (here's lookin' at you, sis!). But think twice about ordering an RB for a new acquaintance when you're at the break-the-ice stage.

11. The Incredible Hulk

Putting the smash in Hulk smash. This drink is strong enough to turn any mild-mannered scientist into a raging, half-clothed monster. Make Gut Check's a double.

10. Special K

Safe to say it wasn't named after the cereal. Can you say ketamine?

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9. Silk Panties

They both go down smooth.

8. Mexican Midget Cocktail

The most-asked-for beverage at lucha libres everywhere?

7. Morphine Drip

You had us at "morphine."

6. WindexIt's unclear why anyone would want to drink something that resembles Windex. Too easy to imagine getting super drunk and then dipping into the real stuff under the counter. That would be bad.

5. Suicidal Smurf Did you know Smurfs were communists? Five words for you: Socialist Men Under Red Father. Next, Google Karl Marx images and compare what you see to a pic of Papa Smurf. Look at those beards! Oh, and let's not forget Gargamel, the evil alchemist always trying to convert those happy little communal-living midgets into what? Gold. That's right: Glenn Beck hates smurfs. Drink up!

4. Dirty Girl ScoutThis is wrong on so many levels.

3. Apocalypse Now"I love the smell of vomit in the morning!"

2. Russian Quaalude

Date rape in a cup, anyone? Seriously, they're not even trying to hide it.

1. Alaskan Duck Fart

The most bizarre drink name ever. Only one question: what makes it Alaskan? A duck fart is a duck fart. (Although rumor has it that this is a favorite around the Palin household.)

Watch the video below entitled “Above Everything Else” by Alex Roman and then recoil in disbelief when we tell you the entire thing is computer generated. Everything. Looking at the masterful cinematography, lighting, and texture you’d be forgiven for thinking it was shot with a camera using actual fruit—with lemons tumbling, sliced apples turning brown at the edges, the delicate interplay of shadows, and the glass-like shattering of the fruit. The photorealism incorporated into this animated work is incredible.

This isn’t the first time we’ve been duped by Roman, who creates these hyper-realistic films using 3ds Max, V-ray, After Effects, and Adobe Premiere. Last year we were equally misled by his architectural art study “The Third & Seventh”. For that piece (video below), Roman re-created existing architectural spaces but modified them with surreal and abstracting techniques while maintaining his photorealist style, making for a mind-bending viewing experience.

We think it’s safe to say that Pixar has got nothing on this guy. And for the rest of us, it appears that the essential gap between being able to discern what’s real and what’s digital just got a few million pixels smaller.

Pope Benedict XVI leads a consistory in St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Saturday. In a new book, Benedict says condom use is acceptable "in certain cases," notably by male prostitutes to reduce the risk of infection with HIV.

Pope Benedict XVI says in a new book that condoms can be justified for male prostitutes seeking to stop HIV, a stunning turnaround for a church that has long opposed condoms and a pontiff who has blamed them for making the AIDS crisis worse.

The pontiff made the comments in a book-length interview with a German journalist, Light of the World: The Pope, the Church and the Signs of the Times, which is being released Tuesday. The Vatican newspaper ran excerpts on Saturday.

Church teaching has opposed condoms because they're a form of artificial contraception although it has never released an explicit policy about condoms and HIV. The Vatican has been harshly criticized in light of the AIDS crisis.

Benedict said that for male prostitutes — for whom contraception isn't the central issue — condoms are not a moral solution. But he said they could be justified "in the intention of reducing the risk of infection.''

He called it "a first step in a movement toward a different way, a more human way of living sexuality.''

Benedict drew the wrath of the United Nations, European governments and AIDS activisits when he told reporters en route to Africa in 2009 that the AIDS problem on the continent couldn't be resolved by distributing condoms.

"On the contrary, it increases the problem,'' he said then.

Journalist Peter Seewald, who interviewed Benedict over the course of six days this summer, revisited those comments and asked Benedict if it wasn't "madness'' for the Vatican to forbid a high-risk population to use condoms.

"There may be a basis in the case of some individuals, as perhaps when a male prostitute uses a condom, where this can be a first step in the direction of a moralization, a first assumption of responsibility,'' Benedict said.

But he stressed that it wasn't the way to deal with the evil of HIV, noting the church's position that abstinence and marital fidelity is the only sure way.

Christian Weisner, of the pro-reform group We Are Church in the pope's native Germany, said it was "surprising, and if that's the case one can be happy about the pope's ability to learn.

In other comments, Benedict said:

"If a pope is no longer physically, psychologically or spiritually capable of doing his job, then he has the "right, and under some circumstances, also an obligation to resign.''

On Islam, in Europe, he declined to endorse such moves as France's banning the burqa or Switzerland's citizen referendum to forbid topping mosques with minarets.

"Christians are tolerant, and in that respect they also allow others to have their self-image,'' Benedict replied when asked if Christians should be "glad'' about such initiatives. "As for the burqa, I can see no reason for a general ban.''

He was surprised by the scale of clerical sex abuse in his native Germany and acknowledged that the Vatican could have better communicated its response. "One can always wonder whether the pope should not speak more often.''

A man of deep personal faith, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has alienated some Roman Catholics with his zeal in enforcing church orthodoxy.

He grew up in the conservative Alpine foothills of Bavaria and at 78, he is the 265th pope of the Catholic Church and the first Germanic pope since the 11th century.

Many in Germany blamed Ratzinger for decrees from Rome barring Catholic priests from counseling pregnant teens on their options and blocking German Catholics from sharing communion with their Lutheran brethren at a joint gathering in 2003.

He also clashed with prominent liberal and moderate theologians.

In his autobiography, Ratzinger said he sensed he was out of step with his fellow Germans as early as the 1960s, when he was a young assistant at the Second Vatican Council in Rome.

Ratzinger wrote that he was enrolled in the Nazi youth movement against his will when he was 14 in 1941. He deserted the German army in April 1945, re-entered the seminary and was ordained, along with his brother, in 1951. He then spent several years teaching theology. In 1977, he was appointed bishop of Munich and elevated to cardinal three months later by Pope Paul VI.

John Paul II named him leader of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 1981, where he was responsible for enforcing Catholic orthodoxy and was one of the key men in the drive to shore up the faith of the world's Roman Catholics.

Ratzinger who speaks Italian, English as well as his native language German, has been called a subtle thinker with a deep understanding of Catholic tradition and a personal touch he's not often given credit for.

Since the invention of the shipping container and the revolution in transport it caused, the globalization of world trade has changed the face of manufacturing. About the only industry that did not move to China was housebuilding; It's hard to ship a house.

But now, the clever Canadians of MEKA have solved that problem; They have taken the incredibly logical step of designing a container home and manufacturing the entire thing in China. The result: an entire luxury modern modular house for US$ 39,000. The housing industry will never be the same.

Inhabitat has a lovely slideshow of the MEKA container house on display in the West Village of Manhattan. And it is a lovely thing, with bamboo walls and ceilings, a glass wall, a jazzy fully tiled bathroom and full kitchen with stainless steel counter.

And what sets this prototype prefab apart from others? "It's a new twist on the old story of prefab using shipping containers," says [designer] Halter. "The manufacturer is in China - which means a kit could be sent anywhere in the world because the costing is better. Of course, there's a premium service (and charge) for connecting with the architect for site assessment."

[Founder] De Jong's idea to place the prefab's manufacturing base in China is the key to the enterprise's viability. Part entrepreneur, part adventure seeker, de Jong had first worked with Chinese manufacturers when he designed a tent built for hanging off the precipices of mountains. Cheap manufacturing coupled with a strong design sensibility would surely get this prefab project off the ground where so many other, more costly and less practical, ventures have failed.

"There's got to be a way to provide mass housing that's affordable," says Halter. "And we also wanted to benefit from notions of sustainability - like kitting it out with bamboo and building from minimally used shipping containers."

Indeed there is; manufacture it in China, like everything else. I should love this thing; clever neighbours of mine have taken the ultimate step in shipping container housing and globalized the entire thing, making modern green prefab affordable at last.

They have a lot of style and wry humour too, filling their renderings with Canadian icons like checked lumber jackets, Hudson Bay blankets and Bruce Mau doorstops.

Michael de Jong and his team have also shown that housing is no different than any other product any more; it's cheaper in China. It is a formula that works not just for 320 square feet but scales; they offer versions up to 1280 square feet. They have done something that many have tried to do and and failed: to make modern prefab affordable. It is a formula that will be copied.

Chances are, you haven't heard of Haidar Taleb yet, but he's on a mission to inspire the world. On Monday, the disabled 47-year-old from the UAE is set to embark on a record-breaking 200 mile voyage across the desert in a solar-powered wheelchair he designed and built himself. "With this journey I hope to raise awareness of disability and sustainability as well as what we can achieve as individuals if we have the courage and determination to try," he says.

For Haidar, who has been confined to a wheelchair since he was diagnosed with polio at the age of four, this scheduled 11-day journey is aimed at touting the wonders of technological innovation and the unrelenting determination of the human spirit -- particularly for those who may face mobility challenges similar to his own.

"I want to send out a message to disabled people that there are no obstructions. Whatever you think about, you can do," he says. "Give disabled people a chance and they can perform miracles."

Along the 200 mile trip across all seven emirates, Haidar plans to stop at schools, universities, and centers for the disabled to share his inspiring message, reports Gulf News. And, by the time his ambitious trek is completed on December 2, he will have broken the record for distance traveled in a solar-powered wheelchair -- a record he set himself just two weeks ago.

Earlier this month, Haidar earned his place in the Guinness Book of World Records for taking his specially-designed wheelchair on another adventure, cruising over 80 miles during a 14 hour trip from Abu Dhabi to Sharjah at speeds of around 12 mph. His endeavor was sponsored by UAE-based Madsar, an initiative aimed at advancing research into alternative energy solutions.

Despite the recognition he's garnering from the ambitious journeys and the eco-friendly device he helped pioneer, the impact of his sun-fueled procession extends far beyond the record books:

While crossing the finish line is the ultimate goal, the journey is equally as important. I want to show the world the advantage of a solar-powered wheelchair, and highlight the hope and encouragement it brings to people with reduced mobility.

As Haidar embarks on his record-breaking trip, with that big, bright sun overhead powering his innovative wheelchair along its ambitious journey, the keen observer just might be able to perceive that subtle glow of inspiration a bit closer to home.

Ian M. Sherwin Giclée

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All you art collectors out there. Here is a chance to get a Giclee copy of some of Ian M Sherwin work. Ian is planning on doing a whole series of Marblehead, Massachusetts paintings.His work is amazing.